Pittsburgh Penguins milled quietly about their dressing room at Consol Energy Center on Monday, slowly getting back to work after a welcomed few days off for the All-Star break.

As the players chatted about their current seven-game win streak and the prospects of catching the New York Rangers for the Eastern Conference lead, the main question remained the same now as it did when the season began in October.

When is Sid the Kid coming back?

And while coach Dan Bylsma refuses to put a timetable on Sidney Crosby’s return, there at least appears to be a sense of optimism despite news over the weekend that the superstar suffered a neck injury last January that perhaps complicated his nearly 11-month recovery from concussions.

Crosby skated on the Consol ice for the first time in more than six weeks Monday, joining injured teammates Simon Despres and Jordan Staal for a brief workout.

Bylsma said Crosby worked at a “pretty good clip” during his session, adding that Pittsburgh’s captain was “pretty excited” to be back at work, even in a limited capacity.

At least it gave Crosby a respite from the latest round of drama surrounding his comeback. The team acknowledged Saturday that neurological spine specialist Dr. Robert Bray in Los Angeles discovered an unspecified neck injury that was “fully healed.”

An independent physician is studying the findings before the team makes any sort of determination on Crosby’s next step.

Bylsma declined to get into specifics about Crosby’s condition and prognosis pending a report from the independent physician, saying only Crosby was “nowhere” close to being cleared for contact.

Crosby hasn’t played since the concussion-like symptoms resurfaced after a loss to Boston on Dec. 5.

Blackhawks: Captain Jonathan Toews will return to the lineup against Vancouver on Tuesday, while forward Patrick Sharp is questionable, ESPN.com reported. Both are suffering from left wrist injuries. Toews was injured Jan. 20 when Florida’s Erik Gudbranson slashed him as he was trying to take a shot. Sharp, meanwhile, is still feeling the effects of a slash from Detroit’s Jiri Hudler as he scored Jan. 8.

Hurricanes: Carolina signed defenseman Tim Gleason to a four-year contract extension worth $16 million. The deal keeps Gleason under contract through the 2015-16 season. He could have become an unrestricted free agent this summer. General manager Jim Rutherford says Gleason is “one of our core players” both on and off the ice. Gleason, 29, leads the team’s defensemen with 87 hits and a plus-minus rating of plus-2. He is making $3.5 million this season.

“The East Bay Times is honored for its relentless efforts to obtain police body camera videos, inspection data, and other public records in the wake of the deadly Ghost Ship fire,” the Northern California Society of Professional Journalists announced Wednesday.